Stormwater has been the go-to resource for surface water quality professionals since the birth of the magazine in 1999. Now, with this first issue of 2020, Stormwater and Erosion Control magazines have officially merged. The combined magazine and website will continue to be the premier resource for professionals involved in the design, control, and management of stormwater runoff and erosion control. You can find more information on the new combined website at www.stormh2o.com/page/about-us. In the meantime, we hope you'll enjoy this first issue of a new era.
Urban forests provide myriad benefits, but for municipalities or stormwater programs where budgets are tight, it can be challenging to quantify those benefits. In “Evaluating Stormwater Benefits of Atlanta’s Urban Forest,” we look at how Atlanta’s Department of Watershed Management used i-Tree Eco, a US Forest Service model designed to use field-collected data along with local hourly meteorological and air pollution data to quantify a community’s forest structure, function, and value. DWM is now able to quantify the economic value Atlanta’s urban forests provide residents in addition to the rainfall and stormwater capture benefits.
In “The World’s First Stormwater Volcano,” we look at a novel solution to a stormwater problem in the desert. Steep slopes, limited right-of-way, and the desert’s monsoon cycle led the Albuquerque Metropolitan Arroyo Flood Control Authority to design a unique method of slowing down and aerating stormwater flows.
In our Guest Editorial, “Towards a National Stormwater Criteria,” Tom Hegemier makes the case for national stormwater standards, which would include measures for erosion and sediment control, flood risk management, and stream protection. He argues that national standards focusing on the common goal of protecting the natural character of our receiving waterways would allow regional and local measures to address more specific goals while ensuring equitable stormwater practices across the country.
Finally, we look at a project examining the potential of turning swales into bioswale BMPs that meet green infrastructure criteria. In “Green Infrastructure Bioswale Project in Harris County, TX,” Harris County Flood Control District converted a number of backslope swales into natively vegetated bioswales to monitor and calculate pollutant loads.
We hope you enjoy this first edition of our new, merged magazine. From all of us at Endeavor Business Media, a heartfelt thank you to all our readers for making Stormwater and Erosion Control magazines premier industry publications. In the new, combined publication, we look forward to continuing to share the quality content both erosion control and stormwater management professionals have come to expect.
